Yang seizes share of US Open lead with Wie

PINEHURST, US: South Korea’s Amy Yang fired a two-under par 68 on Saturday (Sunday in Manila) to seize a share of the third-round lead at the US Women’s Open alongside American Michelle Wie.

Wie, who held a three-shot overnight lead, fought to a two-over 72 at Pinehurst to join Yang on two-under 208.

They were the only players under par through 54 holes at Pinehurst, where Germany’s Martin Kaymer won the second men’s major of the year, the US Open, last Sunday.

US veteran Juli Inkster, who celebrates her 54th birthday on Tuesday, carded the low round of the day, a four-under 66, to lead a group sharing third on two-over 212.

Inkster was joined by Australian amateur Minjee Lee, South Korean Choi Na-Yeon and Northern Ireland’s Stephanie Meadow.

Meadow, playing her first event as a professional, inched up the leaderboard with a one-under 69, while Choi signed for a 71 and Lee posted a 72.

Wie shook off a bogey at the first with birdies at the third, ninth and 10th holes.

But she opened the door to Yang with a rough four-hole stretch that started with a double-bogey at the par-four 11th. She followed that with a bogey at 12, and dropped another shot at 14 as Yang briefly seized the outright lead.